/no 


I  have  brought 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #567 


DTIDMTeaiO 


W5(i,f 


NO.  11. 

I  HAVE  BROUGHT 

MY  LITTLE  BROTHER  BACK 


3JT    REV.  "W.    M.  WINCfATE;   OF    WAKE    FOREST     COLLSGS,  W.   <f* 


*'  I  have  brought  my  little  brother  back,"  said  a  young 
soldier,  as  he  gteppedfrom  the  cars,  and  took  my  hand.  He 
could  say  no  more  j  his  heart  Wi.s  full.  It  was  iLciecd  » 
sad  case.  This  young  man  had,  sorafi  two  years  before, 
spoken  a-lon^  farewell  to  rtie  home  of  his  boyhood,  leiv'n^ 
his  mother,  sisters,  and  this  ''  little  brother,"  aisd  bad  fOL« 
to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  thriving  young  State  of  Ttxas- 
He  was  at  home  on  a  thirty  dayvs'  furlough.  1  rtmeitb^r 
well  the  scene  en  his  return.  lie  was  a  most  afFtciitcate 
brother,  and  tecder-hearted  son.  He  took  his  fstcily  hj 
surprise,  and  with  his  weather-beaten  brew,  and  (he 
Btrange,  half  Mexican  dress  of  a  Texas  Eangtr,  vas  scarce 
Jy  recognized  as  the  lojg  absent  boy.  " 

ITha  joyful  greeting  is  over.     Jiut  the   "little  brother' 


is  not  there  to  mingle  glad  tears  with  the  happy  family. 
He  is  away  at  his  post  near  RichmoBd.  Though  barely 
sixteen,  he  his  volunteered  for  the  war,  and  has  already 
seen  much  of  the  stern  life  of  the  soldier.  There,  with 
the  brave  array  so -soon  to  be  immortal,  he  awaits  the  on- 
set of  the  invading  host.  The  Western  soldier  .has  gcarce- 
ly  settled  himself  at  home,  when  the  news  is  borne  on  the 
telegraph  that  the  terrible  battles  around  the  Capitol  havo 
eommenced.  In  his  military  ardor  the  feeling  of  home  is 
for  the  moment  forgotten,  and  he  leaves  on  the  first  traia 
that  he  may  see  the  smoke  of  battle,  and  be  near  at  hand 
to  watch  the  fate  of  his  brother. 

The  young  soldier  has  relurned.  The  battles  .around 
Bichmond  are  still  raging.  Oar  brave  army  is  steadily 
driving  the  enemy  from  his.  long  line  of  entrenchments 
and  multiplied  redoubts.  He  is  at  last  in  fall  retreat. 
The  Capitol  is  safe.  Victory  after  victory  is  gounded 
through  the  land.  ,Glad  voices  greet  you  on  every  side,  as 
the  cars  arrive.  Cheers  rise  on  the  air,  and  a  thousand 
grateful  heartj  swell  with  God'«  great, deliverance.  Bui 
here  and  tliere,  amid  the  happy  throng,  could  be  seen  one 
whose  sad  face  spoke  a  mournful  contrast.  *Such  an  one 
grasped  my  band,  and  brushing  a  tear  away,  said  :  ^*  Mr. 
■ —  I  have  brought  my  little  brother  back."  ,  He  had 
fallen.  In  his  first  battle,  in  the  firigt  fierce  encounter 
around  the  Capitol  of  his  country,  his  temples  wer©  pierced 
by  the  fatal  Vullet,  and  now,  in  a  neat  case,  secured  by  the 
Hnd  Ciiaplain,  he  is  brought  to  hi^_home. 

But  the  worst  is  yet  to  come,  Listen  to  me,  dear  young 
laan — you  who  are  so  brpvely  battling  for  all  we  hold 
dear.  This  noble  youth,  who  had  thus  fallen  for  his 
oountry  and  his  people,  was,  I  fear,  not  prepared  io  die*, 


5u 


-f 


What,  thought  T,  aa  I  made  Bay  way  to  the  scene  of  suffer-       ^^^ 
ing  allecticrD,  lan    I  say  to    his    mother  ?     That  tnotber  I 
knew  well;  and  knowing  her  as  I  did,  I  knew  what  alone 
would  comforo  her. 

I  THOUGHT  OT  HIS  YOUTH.  He  hai-  not  indeed  made 
any  profession  of  fait^  in  Christ.  'lie  had  said  nothing  on 
the  subject  to  any  of  hia  companions.  No  occ  knew 
that  he  had  ever  been  really  serious  on  the  subject  of  Ms 
fiOuPs  interests,  gtiii  he  was  so  young.  Only  sixteen  brief 
summers  had  measured  Lis  short  probation.  Was  therenot 
gome  hope  in  this  circumstance  ?  The  longest  life,  the 
three  score  years  and  ten,  is  full  short  enouglj  to  prrpare 
for  vast  eternity.'  It  is  as  the  drop  to  the  ocean.  And 
will  not  a  kind  and  benevolent  Being,  as  we  know  God  to' 
be 'allow  some  mitigation  of  His  law  for  extreme  youth  ? 
He  knows  with  what  thoughtlessness  we  lun  along  over 
this  petiod  of  our  <iays  ;  how  much  of  life — buoyant,  hopcT 
ful  life — there  is  in  us,  and  how  little  we  care  for  the 
morrow.  Will  lie  not  relent — allow  some  abatement  ©f 
th^  stern  sentence  against  a  young  man  who  had  ouIt/  too 
th'oughtlesdif  let  his  precious  probation  slip  from  him  ?  No, 
dear  young  man,  I  fear  this  plausible  view  will  not  an- 
swer. It  is  not  a  long  or  short  life,  aa  such,  that  gives  us 
opportunities  for  final  preparation  :  nor  does  it  take  anj 
specific  period  for  preparation.  It  is  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  nothing  more;  faith  that  works — wheth- 
er a  longer  er  a  shorter  time — by  love,  and  purifies  the 
heart.  In  this  faith- is  life.  True,  youth  is  thoughtlesB; 
but  youth  is  susceptible,  too,  and,  as  compared  with  other 
periods  of  life,  is  as  favorable  for  securing  salvation  as  any 
other.  Indeed,  the  Scriptures  would  have  us  infer  that, 
sober  and  thoughtful  as  mature  age  may  be,  it  is  not  so 
well  fitted  for  the  wQik  of  preparation  as  the  tender  jeais 


®f  joatli.  ''Remember  now  thy  Creator/'  writes  the  mm 
Btaa,  ^^'m  tlie  d^ys  of  thy  youth,  while  the  evil  days  com© 
llc4ynor  the  years  draw  nigh,  when  thou  shall  say,  I  have 
BO  pleasure  in  them."  And  if  they  will  indulge  because  it 
ig  their  spring  time,  the  same  inspired  one  tells  them,  for 
\iarDiDg,  "Rejoice.  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth;  and  let 
thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk 
■in.  tke  ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  y 
feat  know  thou  that  for  all  th^e  things  God  will  bring  tbee 
tEio  judgment."  How  could  I  soothe  th*  mother,  then,  on 
aK^unt  of  his  yoiith  ? 

But  I   THOUGHT    OF   THE   SUDDENNESS   OP    HIS  DEATH. 

The  fatal  bullet  pierced  his  temples  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Eiruggle,  and  he  fell  without  a  word  for  the  stricken 
OQSg  at  home.  No  moment  left  hina  for  sober  thought. 
^0  time  for  one  brief  prayer.  At  once  he  was  summoned 
into  the  presence  of  the  Judge.  Would  not  \his  mitigate 
the  ease  ?  Sometimes  the  kind  Judge  allows  a  brief  inter* 
^&L  The  wound  is  mortal ;  but,  though  sinners  long,  they 
Easy,  and  perchance  do  repent  before  they  die.  The  dis- 
ease is  fatal;  still,  time  is  allowed  for  some  seriousmo-. 
ments  ere  the  messenger  summons  them  away.  But  here 
BO  word ;  no  time  for  committing  the  spirit.  The  solemn 
datknGss  overshadowed  him  at  once. 

But  I  could  honestly  see  no  comfort  in  this.  He  had 
receiyed  much  instruction  at  home;  had  been  fully  warned 
of  the  uncertainty  of  life.  For  his  country's  sake  had  entered 
the  army  at  the  place  of  danger.  Disease  had  already  taken 
Btatny  from  his  side,  and  battle  he  knew  would  take  many 
more.  Brave,  as  he  was,  he  expected  to  stem  the  leaden  hail, 
and  fearlessly  charge  on  batteries  Yomiting  forth  the  missiles 
©f  death  And  yet,  with  uU  this  in,  view,  he  dared  to  go,  did 
go^  without  preparation.  Too  fearless,  he  ventured  his  soul^ 
not  his  body  only,  his  soul,  upon  the  fate  of  battle.    Too  ad- 


venturous,  he  put  his  little  all  at  stake,  and  lost.  Alas  !  I 
could  see  no  comfort  in  this.  "Be"  not  afraid  of  them  that 
kill  the  body  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  tbev  can  do. — 
But  fear  him  which  after  be  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast 
into  hell.     Yea,  I  say  unto  you  fear  Him." 

But  this  young    MAI?  died  in      defence     of    his     COUNTRIf. — 

They  whispered  this — the  kind  friends  who  were  at  Lis  grave 
— to  his  mother.  Some  told  the  sisters  their  brother  had  died 
in  a  noble  cause  ;  and  the  father's  face  was  IJt  up  with  a  mo- 
mentary triumph  as  the  preacher  spoke  ot  his  falling  in  de- 
fence of  all  we  hold  dear.  I  thought  of  this  too.  A  martyr 
in  a  noble  ca-ji8c.  A  bleeding  victim  upon  the  altar  of  his 
country.  Well !  if  there  could  be  a  way  for  a  noble  death,  in 
the  eye  of  our  Judge,  to  atone  for  misspent  life,  then  these 
friends  had  ground  for  consolation.  If,  from  any  battle- 
fields heroes  went,  by  vii  tue  of  their  death  and  noble  disdain 
of  danger,  to  the  realms  of  the  blessed,  there  would  then  be 
hope  for  our  dead,  fallen  on  so  many  crimsoned  fields  for  all 
we  hold  dear  in  life,  liberty  and  honor.  But  will  this  suflBce? 
0,  no!  There  is  no  comlort  here.  Earthly  comfort  there  may 
be.  Cause  for  honest,  patriotic  pride  thei-e  may  be  ;  but  for 
the  other  world,  comfort  there  can  be  none.  For  who  is  He 
towhosebar  we  must  be  bi'ought,  and  with  whom  we  must 
contend?  No  political  judge;  no  military  chieftain.  The 
issue  with  Him  is  not  national,  but  personal.  There  is  no 
test  of  bravery ;  the  test  is  faith  ;  faith  in  His  beloved  Son, 
■whom  He  has  sent  into  our  world  to  seek  and  save  the  lost. 
Neglecting  Him,  no  cause  can  justify,  no  death  can  atone. 

But  he  was  a^t  amiable  young  man.  Noble,  generous, 
"brave  ;  full  of  ardor  for  his  country  ;  tenderly  sensitive  of  his 
honor  and  earnest  in  the  discharge  of  duty  ;  such  was  this 
son  and  brother.  Was  there  not  comfort  in  this  ?  Yes  1  yesi 
It  made  his  family  feel  their  loss  more,  tlmade  his  compan- 
ions lament  his  fall.  But  did  it  help  the  young  man  in  the 
world  to  which  he  had  gone?  Did  his  many  amiable  quali- 
ties plead  in  his  behalf  ?  I  call  to  mind  the  amiable  young 
man  of  thegospels,    who  came  kneeling  to   Christ,  sayiog, 


6 
'  I 

^^  Good'yiasiQY,  whBi\,  good  thing  shall  I  do  ?"  Jesus  loved 
him  ;  and  yet  "one  thing/'  said  the  kind  Teiicher,.  "  thou  lack- 
est:"  .1  remember  the  Scribe  v^ho  apswered  so  disereetly 
th^itthe  Saviour  said,  ','  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.'^  Siill,  be  was  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness. — 
Could  Ij  then,  in  this,  bring  any  real  comfort  to  the  bro- 
ken-hearted mother  ?  No  !  Her  brave,  generous,  noble 
hearted  boyhSxi  gone!  Not  far  indeed  from  the  kingdom- 
of  heaven,  yet  not  having  entered.  Amiable  and  keep- 
ing many  of  the  commandments;  yet  lacking  one  thi!ig, 
and  in  this  lacking  all.  How  §ad  the  case  of  such  !  My 
heart  bleeds  to   think  of  it.     When    the  profane  swearer- 

^  goes  to  the  place  assigned  to  the  wicked,  we  all  feel  ^hat 
tliis  is  his  place.  When  the  whoremonger  and  the  adulilS- 
rer  receive  their  doom,  we  feel  that  this  is  well.  But^^whea 
noble  youth  is  snatched  away,  we  hesitate  and  fear  to 
state  his  case.  Bat  why  sh^'uld  we?  .  He  has  not  loved 
the  blessed  and  iBamaculatc  One.  With  a  mind  open  to. 
noble  impressions,"  with  a  heart  susceptible  to  the-  good 
and  pure  he  has  not  honored  God's  own  Son.  "And  this 
is  the  sin,  the  damning  sin.  Here  all  dcj)raviiy  is  found. 
*'If  any  man,'^no  matter  how  estimable  and  honored  among 
his  fellows,  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let 
him  be  Anathema  Maranatha.''  Let  him  be  accursed  vhea 
the  Lord  cometh. 

I  REMEMBERED  THAT  THIS  YOUNG  SOLDIER  HAD  A  PRAY- 
ING MOTHER.  His  father,  and  his  sisters,  too,  were  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  arid  doubtles^i  pra  (5d  frequently  and 
fervently  f«r  the  absent  and  exposed  one,  that  God  would^ 
shi4d  him  in  the  day  of  battle^  and  save  him  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  But  his  mother  was  pecivHarly  earnest  in  her 
prayers.  And  who  has  not  heard  that  "praying  breath 
■was  never  spent  in  vain  V^     And  then,  .1  had  always  felt 


that  tliere  was  peculiar- viitue  ia  a  nwther's  praf/ei's.  In- 
deed, I.had  ofcen  said  as  much  to  thisaoxious  mother,  be- 
cause I  knew  there  was  such  power  in  praycrj  in  earnest, 
believiug  prayer,  x  But  from  the  very  circumstance  that 
this  precious  truth  is  Orga-d  so  frequently, -both  in  public 
and  in  private,  I  fear  that  many  young  persoBs  greatly 
abuse  if.  I  am  afraid  that  this  young  m3n  trustedto  his 
mother's  prayers  to  shield  him  in  the  clay  of  battle.  Per- 
chance he  thought  ho  could  not  die,  till  that  mothcr^s  de- 
gire  was  fulfilled.  If  he  did  not,  I  am  sure  that  maui/  do. 
Away  off  in  the  army,  around  their  camp-fires,  they  think 
of  the  protection  of  a  pious  mother's  prayer?.  And  the 
sister  write?-,  telling  dear  brother,  that  all  the  family  join 
in  prayers  for  his'safety,  and  as  he  folds  t  e  letter  to  his 
heart,  and  thinks  of  dear  ones  at  home,  he  loves  to '  feel 
that  he  is  shielded. .  Eut  strange,  he  will  not  pray  for 
Jiimself,  Trusting  to  the  prayers  of  others,  ho  uttCFs 
none  to  the  loving  Father  of  bis  spirit.  Well  II  cannot 
answer  for  this.  \Yo6ld  God  tbat  none  would  trust  to  'it ! 
1  only  know  that  this  young  man  had  a  praying  father, 
praying  sisters,  and  a  praying  ra  ther.  1  know  that  he" 
left  no  •\i\ord  of  consolation  ;  sent  no  nTessage  to  soothe 
their  stricken  hearts  ;  and  that  now  that  mother  weeps  for 
him  as  for  a  lost  sen.  Yep,  in  all  his  youth  and  beauty, 
defence  of  dearest  rightd  and  a  goodly  heritage,  she  fears 
her  noble  b.y  is  losi^  and  lo^t  forever.  Ah,  rae  !  There, 
is  something  c/rea6?/W  in  that.  Why  should"^"  mother 
feel   it?     She  said— poor  woman  !     I  thought  hcarfc 

would  fail  m£  as  I  listened  to  her — she  said,  '  x  could 
have  watched  his  sick  couch,  had  God  seen  .fit  to  affiicfc 
him ;  I  could  have  nursed  his  wounds  for  days  and  weeks, 
and  seen  him  scarred  and  maimed  for  life.  I  could  havo 
seen  him  die,  die  at  h«mo  or  on  the  battle-field  if  I  could 


■*     .  8 

have  had  hope  in  his  death ;  could  have  caught  from  his 
lips  some  word  of  j,he  better  land  to  treasure  up  in  my 
heart." 

Ah,  well !  I  know  not  how  to  comfort.  This  case  is  sad, 
indeed..  Young  man,  dear  young  man,  this  is  not  wr'tteu 
for  her,  to  open  afresh  her  wounds.  God  alone"  can  heal 
them.  I  trust  she  will  not  see  these  pages.  Under  a  sol- 
emn sense  of  duty,  I  have  penned  these  line^  for  you.  Far 
away  in  the  camps,  standing  on  the  night  sentry,  or  tr  mp- . 
ing  wearily   on  the  march,  I  often  think  of  you— you  Who 

»are  exposing  your  body,  once  so  uoyant  and  free,  to  the 
cold  rains  and  bleak  winds,  and  to  the  fnry  and  'tempest 
of  battle ;  exposing  yourself-  without  a  murmur  for  loved 
ones  at  home,  and  the  goodly  heritage  so  dear  to  us  all. 
Whrit  c?n  I  say  to  You  ?  How  speak,  when  I  think  of 
your  other  exposures  ?  Are  you  prepared  to  ^tand  there 
for  met  When  the  slow  fever  comes  on,  or  the  chill,  OH 
the  night  watch,  or  the  whistling  bullet;  so- 5wc?(/e^^,  ARE 
YOU  HEADY?     ^-  vour   armor  all    bright?"    Have  you  the 

•  phic.-l  cf  fctith,  and  the  breastplate  of  rii^hteousness,  and 
the  helmet  of  salvation  ?  Put  them  on.  Let  me  pray  you 
as  I  love  you,  put  them  on,  if  you  hav^tbem  not.  Put 
them  on  at  once.     May  God  bless  you,  is  mj  prayer. 


— -  -i^cl  other  pubacatious    issued   by   the    Board  of 

MissioiK         i^-*  North   Caroiina  Baptist  State  Convention,  for 
gratuitous  u;^.:-ibuti on,  can  be  obtained  by  addressing 

PvEV.  N.  B.  COBB,  Cur, 'Secretary, 

Ealeigh,N.  0- 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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